FanFaire NYC THIS WEEKEND!

Very excited to exhibit for the first time in FanFaire NYC this weekend with ToughSpirit Creations! It’s at the HIgh School of Art & Design and I’m absolutely blown away by the special guest and programming they have! Art Spiegleman & Neil Adams are both alumni and are giving folio reviews to high schoolers - what an incredible opportunity for youth! I wish I could have gotten to see panels like “Pitch to Screen” and “How To Develop Thick Skin” as a student. But at least I get to exhibit here! Nadia and I are way in the corner, table 500, so if you’re at the show please make sure to check out all the corners XD. Here’s more info:

Hope to see you there!

Online Store is Open!

Very excited to open my new online store! I have Christmas greeting cards for sale at www.mindyindy.com/greeting-cards ! All 5 of the card designs are based off of last year’s Christmas carol doodletunes (illustrations of songs). Left to right: Carol of the Bells, We Three Kings, Silent Night, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, and Suzy Snowflake! You can order one card for $5 or a pack of 5 for $20 = buy 4 get one free (+$1 shipping for one and $2 shipping for a pack). The store takes PayPal, which can also take credit cards if you don’t have a PayPal account. Now is the time to start getting cards because Christmas will be here before you know it! The only one that says “Happy Holidays” is Suzy Snowflake - the rest say Christmas.

If you’ve been following me long enough you know how crazy my TO DO lists are, and creating an online store has been on my to do list for YEARS. For awhile I was deciding if I should go with Etsy or upgrade my own Squarespace site for commerce. Etsy is actually a lot harder than it looks. Granted, you have more discoverability on that platform, but I felt that just for starting out, it’s hard to compete with all the other cards out there. For example, people have their cards set up against a fireplace with holly branches and freakin’ hot cocoa with perfect lighting etc. Screw that, I just want to get the thing done! I found out that I didn’t need to upgrade my Squarespace site and can still have basic commerce functionality! I only have a few products after all, that are currently the same size & weight, so I don’t need a complex store. It was fun to build the store and put the descriptions in and learn new stuff about shipping (ALWAYS learning new things as a freelancer!).

Anyway, over time I’ll add more items to the store like mini comics. If you’d like some mini comics for stocking stuffers in the meantime, email me at mindy at mindyindy dot com.

OH and my times at the WinterFest at the Brooklyn Museum are now switched to Saturdays!

Happy Holidays!

Made My First Patreon Goal: IT'S POSSIBLE!

I'm so happy to say I've surpassed my first Patreon goal of making $100/month and celebrated by taking my first surfing lesson!  This was important research for AER HEAD, the comic I'm creating, which features surfers.  See how I persevered through fear and how I'll apply my surfing experiences to my comic on https://www.patreon.com/mindyindy

Y'know, when I first started Patreon, I wondered if it could really be possible to make legit money from it because I'm not a famous YouTuber with thousands of fans (which is a large portion of their creators).  But I felt like I had to at least try it!  My Patreon has steadily grown, thanks to the support of family, friends, and fans!  YOU could start a Patreon too.  Anyone could, really.  There are so many categories of creative things people are doing on there.  Even if you have a regular 9-5 job and want to get motivated to do your side passion, I recommend Patreon.  You really have to plan it out well though and consistently post and reach out to people to start to see successful results though. 

Do you want to be a part of the Mindy Indy community on Patreon and get the behind-the-scenes scoop on how I'm creating AER HEAD, the story of a surfer who predicts the future in his dreams?  Just go to  https://www.patreon.com/mindyindy  and click the orange "become a patron" button.  Then select the reward tier you want and you'll be able to have access to posts according to your tier!  I'm particularly excited about the next set of "see the present" posts where I'll talk about how I'm directly applying what I learned from my surfing lesson to the comic.  

Patreon and AER HEAD Progress!

Progress on my AER HEAD comic project is going very well!  As for the Patreon itself, as of this posting I'm 38% of the way towards my goal of $100 in the first month, with 2 weeks to go.  If you're considering donating and want to check it out, but are unsure about long-term commitment, remember that you change your donation amount at any time. 

I've also added a NEW $50 tier, which is custom art of any AER HEAD character, or you AS one of the characters!  I think my comic con peeps will like this tier, because it's similar to my sketches at comic cons!  If you select this tier, you'll get one 5"x7" original color illustration per month of one character, mailed to you.

I recently did the math on how long this project will take given my current pace.  If I continue working on AER HEAD for 20 hours a week, I can complete issue #1 in ONE YEAR!  I'd be able to do a 6 issue series in 6 years.  But if I don't reach my larger goal by mid-October, I'll need to cut the project's time by half or more to make ends meet, and the project may stretch beyond my 40s.  If you donate, you're not only giving the gift of $, but of TIME as well.

If you have any questions, feel free to comment on this blog post or on social media, or email me at " mindy at mindyindy dot com ".  Please help me to raise another $62 by August 14!  Since I'd like to celebrate reaching the $100 goal by taking my first surf lesson (the comic features surfers) I realized I have to achieve this before it gets too cold in the fall.  Every dollar helps, and I really appreciate all the donations!  If you've been following my career and have been inspired in any way, now is your chance to give in the name of art!  Go to https://www.patreon.com/mindyindy and select a fun reward tier and get a behind-the-scenes look at AER HEAD!  Thank you very much!

PATREON LAUNCH!! GO GO GO!!

EXCITING NEWS!!!  I’ve officially launched a PATREON!  Patreon is a crowdfunding site where artists can achieve their dreams by collecting small donations from many people.  My Patreon features a comic series I’ve been working on for FOREVER… called “AER HEAD!”  It’s a sci-fi/comedy series about a surfer who predicts the future in his dreams.  Yes, if you’ve been following me from way back in 2010, you’ll remember my first blog posts featured my process of working on AER HEAD.  See the initial pages here:  http://mindyindy.com/aerhead  The style was too complex to be sustainable though… it was beautiful, but I felt bogged down by it and got caught up with trying to make a living in NYC. 

This year, I realized I needed to SIMPLIFY many areas of my life, including AER HEAD’S style & my process of working on it.  I’m finally at a point in my life now where I can dedicate legit time chunks to move forward with this comic series, but I need your help to do this long term.  Time is money, and in order to dedicate more time to this comic I need more sustainable funds.

NEW AER HEAD promo mini comic!

I’m inviting ALL OF YOU WONDERFUL PEOPLE, especially those who’ve followed me since the very beginning and wondered what the hell happened to AER HEAD over the years, to please donate and become a patron on my Patreon.  Please go to https://www.patreon.com/mindyindy and click the big orange “Become a Patron” button, select a “reward tier,” & connect with Paypal.  The process is so user friendly that even my parents figured it out easily!

Every donation helps me toward my goal of getting this whole comic series out of my head and into the world!  Once you donate, you’ll be able to see my progress on everything from writing, sketching, drawing, inking, digital & watercoloring (I simplified it from all watercolors to half digital/half watercolor) and more.  My blogs here on mindyindy.com are more event focused these days, so think of my Patreon as another blog exclusively for AER HEAD.   

THANK YOU SO MUCH & I truly appreciate your support!  And even if you can’t donate at this time, please forward this info to a friend you think will like it. 

Next Business Basics for Freelancers Class: Sunday 7/15

I've had a growing interest in my Business Basics for Freelancers Class!  The next one will be held once again at Anyone Comics in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.  It's coming up soon - Sunday July 15, from 2-5p.  Register here at Eventbrite:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/business-basics-for-freelancers-tickets-47556957139 Tickets are $50 if you get them online or $55 at the door.

As for everyone I met at Motor City Comic Con who's interested in the class, I am going to make an online course in the future.  Thank you for your patience!  I've already accomplished a lot since going FULL FREELANCE a week ago, but I'm still only one person.  New to this & future courses is that I'll talk about different forms of scheduling & prioritizing as a part-time freelancer VS full-time freelancer.  I'm amazed at the changes I've been able to make in only one week... like checking off things on my TO DO list that have been on there for months. 

I don't know why I geek out about stuff like this... it's really bizarre... but I'm glad to be helping people get better at freelancing!  Hope you can make it to the next class, and have a happy 4th of July!

Eternal Con This Weekend!

Mindy Indy is returning to Eternal Con in Long Island!  I'll be at table 39 along with my writer friend Patrick McEvoy, and we'll be selling our comic "Other Realms!"  I'll be sketching as usual, and as always please get your sketch orders to me earlier in the day.  More show info:

If you're in Long Island, hope to see you there!

Next Business Basics For Freelancers Class!

If you missed my last Business Basics for Freelancers class, I'm having another one in 2 weeks on Wednesday May 9, from 6p-9p!  With the arrival of spring, we tend to find the energy to get out there and DO things we've been putting off all winter.  Now's a great time to sharpen your business skills to become a more successful freelancer! 

This time, the class will be at Anyone Comics in Crown Heights, Brooklyn (1216 Union St).  They have a very nice downstairs area where they've held lots of fun events I've been to before (and they have not only one, but TWO bathrooms!  I'm probably the only one who gets excited about the bathrooms, but really... it's LUXURIOUS for NYC & you'll be comfortable being in the class for 3 hours).  This class is open to ALL freelancers, from musicians to painters to event planners & more. 

Click for more info and registration:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/business-basics-for-freelancers-tickets-45478802322 

And PLEASE spread the word!  Even if you think the class isn't for you, do you know someone it WOULD be good for?  The more I talk with other freelancers, the more I realize just how much the topics I cover (keeping track of projects, banking, taxes, productivity) are needed in our communities.  Hope to see you and some of your friends there!

OTHER REALMS Debuting at BIG APPLE This Weekend!

EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT!  I'm debuting a brand new officially printed (like an actual comic - not from Staples!) called "OTHER REALMS" at Big Apple Con this weekend!  I've been working with writer Patrick McEvoy for awhile on short stories for the past year or 2, and now we have enough material for a book!  Inside, you can jump to 8 other realms where technology has unexpected consequences!  It's a sci-fi 'zine of short stories, printed in comic book format, but features a mix of comic art with prose/poetry + illustrations.

I sent the files to Ka-Blam for printing, and when I got this box in the mail on Monday I was literally JUMPING ALL OVER MY LIVING ROOM with excitement!  This really feels like a "level-up" for me professionally, as I've printed mini comics at Staples now for many years.  We'll be selling OTHER REALMS for $5 each at conventions.  We don't have an online store YET, but if you'd like a copy and aren't going to Big Apple in NYC or Motor City Comic Con in MI, just email me at mindy at mindyindy dot com and we'll work it out.  Speaking of Big Apple...

The flyer pretty much says it all!  Tickets are $25 per day.  If you think NYCC is too expensive, this is your chance to attend a comic con for a better price and get a feel of an "old school" convention.  In their own words: "Low ticket prices and family-friendly fun is the lure of this classic style convention that brings together fans of all kinds of entertainment from all walks of life.  Through the central theme of comic books, the convention features a large range of pop culture elements including science fiction/fantasy, film/television, cosplay, animation, anime, manga, toys, horror, collectible card games, video games, web comics, and fantasy novels. Including panels with celebrity and artist guests, the Big Apple Comic Con also features an amazing Artist Alley with the best local talent, and two main event Costume Contests, one each day!"

Comic cons are GREAT for deadlines to publish new work, and debuting OTHER REALMS at Big Apple is a prime example.  Even though ideally we wanted to debut it at MoCCA Fest, it couldn't get shipped in time.  However, I was able to make some postcards for it to give away at MoCCA to create some buzz.  Look for opportunities even in possible setbacks!

Hope to see you at Big Apple!

MoCCA Fest THIS WEEKEND!

It's springtime, and that means the start of the comic convention season!  This weekend, I'm tabling once again with my friend Nadia Burgess of Toughspirit Creations at MoCCA Arts Festival!  Here are the details:

Sat April 7, 11A-7P

Sun April 8, 11A-6P

at Metropolitan West 639 W 46th st.

We're at table E174 on the first floor near the Wacom booth.

Tickets are just $7 per day!

https://www.societyillustrators.org/mocca-arts-festival

I was just emailing someone today about some differences between MoCCA Fest and other comic cons.  It's an indie comics festival, so you'll see lots of self-published comics focusing on personal stories, rather than a more hard-core comic con with Marvel/DC stuff.  But there's something fun for everyone at MoCCA Fest!  There's a Wacom booth where you can try the latest tablet gadgets, Patreon Lounge where you can learn about all the awesome stuff Patreon does (and if you're a freelancer, you SHOULD know about Patreon), and a RisoLab.  There are panelists who will talk about issues like "Comics, Community and Career", and everything from the New Yorker comics to experimental comics.  Hope to see you there!

Business Basics for Freelancers THIS SATURDAY!

There's still time to sign up for the new class I'm teaching: "Business Basics for Freelancers!"  With tax season approaching, now is the perfect time to start thinking more seriously about the business side of your freelancing.  (By the way, the $75 you pay for this class is TAX DEDUCTIBLE!  We'll go over stuff like that.)  If you're on the edge of deciding, GO FOR IT!  A class like this pays for itself many times over.  Here are the details:

Business Basics for Freelancers is a one session workshop on:

Saturday, February 24th from 2-5pm

Shoestring Studio is 640 Classon Ave in Brooklyn, NY 

You must sign up through the Shoestring site (no walk-ins) here:  http://shoestringstudiony.com/classes/business

Hope to see you there!

Daily Drawing Habits

Intober is a fun project artists all over the world participate in each October.  Every day, there is an official drawing "prompt," usually just one word, and you draw something (usually in ink), and use the hashtag #inktober and post it online.  The # key words help others find your work, and you can see what others have drawn too.  I'm still learning more about the proper way to use #s, but I've improved. 

My personal favorite from Intober and runner up with "likes" on Instagram.

This year I almost did all the days of Inktober prompts, even through NYCC when I was exhausted from drawing at the end of the day.  It doesn't have to be a complicated drawing either.  Sometimes it only took 5 minutes to sketch something quick, and I tried not to spend over a half hour on any one drawing.  Usually I draw them on the subway.  All of my Inktober drawings were just with a sharpie or micron - nothing fancy.  Not even a pencil under drawing (except one I think).  The point is to get you drawing SOMETHING and not worry about perfection.  Sometimes it's hard though, when you see others work and it's mind-blowing with detail.  But who knows - they could've spent the whole day on it, or a week.

"Rollercoaster of Love" by The Ohio Players, later covered by The Red Hot Chili Peppers

Last year after Inktober, I just stopped because the month was over and there were no more prompts.  But that's not the point - the point is to get you in the habit of drawing each day, and this year I had momentum and wanted to keep going!  Since I'm very passionate about all kinds of eclectic music, I decided to choose a music theme for every day, calling them Doodle Tunes #doodletune

"Jigsaw Falling Into Place" by RadioHead, from their "In Rainbows" album.

Every day of the week has a different theme.  Monday is "New Music Mondays," where I listen to all the new releases on Spotify and pick the song I like best to draw.  Even though Spotify changed it to be released on Friday, I like starting the week fresh with new music.  Next we have "2000s Tuesdays," because all music from the past almost 2 decades blends together.  I've decided to make "Wild Card Wednesdays" to feature any music that doesn't fall into a usual decade category, something random.  For "Throwback Thursdays" #tbt I draw a 90s music theme.  Fridays are 80s music, Saturdays are 70s, and Sundays are 60s.  I will literally NEVER run out of ideas and this has been super fun so far!

For people on my mailing list, please note that I post these Doodle Tunes on my social media - it doesn't link to this blog.  I mainly use my Instagram @mindyindy_art to post the drawings to my Twitter @mindy_indy and Tumblr: http://mindyindy.tumblr.com/ and Facebook business page: https://www.facebook.com/mindyindycomics/  By default it was posting to my personal facebook page, but now the official Mindy Indy Facebook page will be seeing more posts.  For my friends and family seeing this post on my regular Facebook, please "like" my Mindy Indy page.  Technical stuff, I know!  I can't post everywhere all the time though.  I love the ease of linking to other sites with just a click of a button. 

Hope you enjoy the Doodle Tunes, and remember, it's never too late to start drawing every day!  You can pick a theme of something you're interested in or passionate about.  And if you miss one day, no big deal.  Just pick it back up the next day and don't worry about "catching up."  You're doing this for YOU.  Drawing every day will flex your brain muscles and help you think more creatively, and you'll also get faster at drawing!

Women In Arts Chelsea

If you're in the NYC area, please spend an evening checking out what some local women artists are up to!  I'm in the art expo part of the show with almost 30 other women, and there is live music and film too!  Your $15 admission goes to helping end child trafficking through Freedom Ladder. 

Friday, Nov 10   6pm-9pm   $15 online

Holy Apostles Gallery, 296 9th Ave  NY NY

Tickets here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/women-in-arts-chelsea-tickets-38757866823

Facebook event here:

https://www.facebook.com/events/141156766517379/

Please come and invite others you think may be interested!  Even though I do a lot of larger comic cons, it's really nice to do a variety of smaller local shows too.  Hope to see you there!

I GOT A NYCC TABLE!! K8

Being on wait lists seems to pay off a lot where comic cons are concerned.  Visit me and ToughSpirit Creations this week at NYCC in Artist Alley table K8 !!!  Think of K-9, like the dog, and we're right next to it.  Here's a link to our listing on the official NYCC site:  http://www.newyorkcomiccon.com/en/Exhibitors/3751487/Mindy-Indy-ToughSpirit-Creations

Note that Artist Alley is in a different location this year!  We're on Level 1, which is the underground level - take the escalators downstairs.  This is different than in previous years when we were off in a separate annex.  Fingers crossed we'll all still get reception down there.  In the map below, we're the first blue rectangle on the left.  See a more detailed map here.

It's nice that NYCC has a space to put info about us artists online.

In the NYCC Gallery Grid

Super excited and hope to see you there!  Thursday tickets to NYCC are still available as of this posting!

Equations Comic and NYCC Pre-Orders

I'm happy to present to you the latest comic I worked on with writer Patrick McEvoy, called "Equations!"  This one was tricky to draw, since the characters are made up of numbers/equations, and I'm used to drawing humans, but I was up for the challenge.  Went through some character designs before we came to the final result.  I was thinking of numbers stacked on each other like School House Rock-style, and in the end we decided to have human-like bubble-forms around the figures too.

In other news, NYCC is next week!  I'm still on the wait-list for an artist alley table, but if that changes, I'll blog about it.  I am doing pre-show commissions though!  I'll be there at the convention as a "professional" for all 4 days, networking and checking out creator panels.  If you'd like to get a custom sketch from me, please email me at mindy@mindyindy.com BEFORE the show and tell me what you'd like.  You can PayPal to that address, and we can meet any day at the show for you to pick it up!  Also, if you'd like to get a variant sketch cover comic at the show and have me draw on it, send me an email and we can connect at the show (I won't be checking email during show hours though, but give me a head's up if you're thinking of variants).  Thanks and looking forward to a super fun show!

Baltimore Comic Con This Weekend!

I'm returning to Baltimore this year for the awesome Baltimore Comic Con!   The site has me listed under "studios" but I'm still in Artist's Alley table A255.  For some reason, I always end up drawing the most dog sketches at this convention!  People in Baltimore really love their pets :)

More info and tickets here: http://baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets/ 

If you're in the Baltimore/DC area, hope to see you there!

Boston Comic Con This Weekend!

The most important thing you need to know about Boston Comic Con is that it's in a new place this year - kind of near the old place, so you won't get totally lost, but it's at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center instead of the Seaport WTC.  A few blocks south from the seaport at 415 Summer St.  I'm sharing a table once again with my friend Jennie Wood in Artist's Alley #AA300.

BCC is also run by a new company this year - Fan Expo - so we'll see what new changes are in store.  I think that the convention will be bigger, as this is a larger building.

Once again I'm blogging last-minute.  OK now to catch some Z's before waking at 5:45AM.  If you're in the Boston area, hope to see you there!

Comic-Con International in San Diego - This Week!

I'm an official artist in Artist's Alley this year in Comic-Con International in San Diego!  I'm listed under my real name, Mindy Steffen, at table BB-23.  Last year, I was able to get a table mid-way through the convention, but this year I'm all in!  I've been spiffing up my sketch folio and am very excited to see what will happen this year!  Since I'll mostly be glued to my table, I won't get to see cool panels, but I plan to network at some after parties.  SDCC is pretty overwhelming, and there's way too much to put all in one blog, but here's some useful links:

Tickets are sold out!  SDCC is super hard-core, so you need to buy badges way in advance - start planning for next year! https://www.comic-con.org/cci/purchase-badges

If you're already going to the convention, here's a link to the show map - Artist's Alley is that blue box waaaaay to the left: https://www.comic-con.org/sites/default/files/forms/CCI17_ExhibitHallMap_Small.pdf

Get your best artwork ready for the folio review section - I actually got some coloring work for Action Lab Comics through meeting them here:  https://www.comic-con.org/cci/portfolio-review

The Quick Guide - scroll 3/4 of the way down to see a color-coded schedule of panels: https://www.comic-con.org/sites/default/files/forms/CCI17_QG_Online_V1_LR.pdf

Lots of awesome stuff going on and I'm very excited! 

So if you've been following me, you know I haven't posted in awhile!  Summer's here and my priorities have shifted a bit.  Is it possible to ever reach a true work/life balance?  Added to that, as an artist, I have personal projects, which count as both work and life.  But lately I've preferred sketching in parks outside rather than blogging - carpe diem! 

Big Apple Con THIS WEEKEND!

I'm exhibiting at Big Apple Con this weekend with ToughSpirit Creations!  Here's the scoop:

Saturday, March 11, 2017: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sunday, March 12, 2017: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Penn Plaza Pavilion 401
7th Avenue New York,
NY 10001

All artists/authors/small press will be on the second floor of the Penn Plaza Pavilion, the storefront right next door to the entrance to the hotel.  Looks like Big Apple has a big focus on cosplay this year - lots of panels and even an "Intergalactic Cosplay Dance Party"!  Big star appearances include Stan Lee and Jason David Frank.  As always, I'll be drawing custom sketches and selling mini comics!  For more info and to buy tickets, go to https://www.bigapplecc.com/

Hope to see you there!

Want to Teach Art?

I've been teaching comics at Harlem Children's Zone for almost a year and wanted to share some of my experiences with you.  I lead an after-school comics program for high school and middle school students 4 days a week, with a focus on entrepreneurship.  In the picture above, the students are selling the mini comics they created at the end-of-semester event in December, and donated all proceeds to charities as an "act of kindness" (which is the HCZ theme for the year).  Throughout the fall, it was great seeing the stories the kids came up with, watching them learn to fold the mini comics, get excited about games we played like "The Price Is Right" (to learn about pricing their mini comic products), and much more.  We threw a pizza party for the middle school club, who raised the most money (almost $50 for the Red Cross!), and reflected on their experiences selling their comics.  The students said it felt good to show other people their artwork and make sales.  I could go on forever about how awesome it is teaching these kids, but I'd like the focus of this blog to give you tips if you want to get started teaching comics or any kind of art.  

Some of the high school mini comics!  These comics are one sheet of paper, folded like origami, to make 8 pages.

Want to Teach Art?

1.  Have a college degree

If you want a more stable, long-term teaching job, this is essential.  I started out teaching comic workshops at MoCCA (Museum of Comic & Cartoon Art) and private tutoring, which was great for experience.  However, if you want to move to the next level and teach consistently for a part-time job, you must have some kind of college degree.  It doesn't even have to be an art-related degree or a master's.  The main goal of our program at HCZ is to get kids to college, so it's important for all employees to experience college.  Sometimes artists think they can get by without an official degree, and while that may work in some cases, not having a degree will really limit you in the future, even if you can't see it now.

2.  Have great communication skills

Not all artists can be good teachers.  Sometimes it's difficult to even explain what we're doing, let alone explain everything step-by-step to another person and guide them to create a complete project.  If you have an interest in teaching, but feel you may need to "level-up" in this area, watch YouTube art demos or Envato Tuts+ tutorials (a fantastic resource) and study how the presenters break down the material step-by-step.  

3.  Like and/or can relate to kids/teens

This may sound obvious, but we've all come across some teachers in our lives that probably made us wonder why they chose that profession.  Teaching isn't for everyone, and to weather the chaotic times, you've got to have a firm grounding in caring about the students.  I find that I relate to the high schoolers by remembering some of my high school experiences, and the middle schoolers and I can bond over animations we like (Dragon Ball Z is STILL popular!  And hey I still know about Pokemon!).

Hope you find this helpful.  Applying for arts teaching jobs will have other specific components, but I think these 3 points are universal.  The arts have been cut drastically from the public school system, but they are much needed for youth development.  There are many teaching opportunities in cities, and if there aren't many where you live, MAKE them!  If you really want to be an arts teacher, reach out to some organizations in your area and see if they'd be open to incorporating an arts element to their programs. 

Happy President's Day from (D)(R)!  When's the last time you went to a library?